CULTURE: Sow seed May 1st. or earlier, as soon as the ground can be worked. Seed germinates rather slowly, in approx. 21 days @ soil temp. of 60°F/ 16°C. If weather turns unusually cold, or the soil surface dries out causing a heavy crust, you may have germination problems. Commercial plantings should be limited to deeper, roto-tilled (1 ft/31 cm. deep) seed beds, on sandy loam or preferably muck soils. Home gardeners should roto-till to the same depth and sow a bit of radish seed with the parsnips to prevent the ground from crusting. It is most important that your land is not too richly fertilized! High fertilizer rates and rich ground cause hairy roots, especially if manure is incorporated into the soil. Sow seed 1/4 to 1/2 in/6 - 12 mm deep, about 3 seeds per in/25mm in rows 18 to 30 in/46-76 cm apart. Thin seedlings to 2 to 4 in/5 - 10 cm apart in the row, so that you average 8 to 10 plants per ft/31 cm of row. Fertilize lightly throughout the season like carrots. When cultivating, hill soil up over the shoulders to prevent canker and adjust wheel teeth as deep as possible to prevent soil pressures in the tractor wheel row from causing forked roots. Home gardeners should stand on a plank, between the rows when cultivating - to distribute their weight, and prevent packing of the soil. Control leaf spot during wet weather with a fungicide.

HARVEST after the first frost for added flavor. They may be left in the soil till spring or harvested and stored in a cold cellar like potatoes.